Ban on assault rifles should not have ended

We all know that the National Rifle Association is a huge supporter of easy access to assault weapons, capable of killing large numbers of Americans quickly and efficiently. What some may not know is that these “machine guns” were banned for 10 years during the Clinton era. The Republicans refused to extend that ban in 2004, and made these weapons available to anyone looking to commit mass murder.

Please read the list of the top 20 recipients of NRA contributions in 2012. Former Gov. Mitt Romney and House Speaker John Boehner top the list, no surprise there. But what we need to know is that Sen. Scott Brown was at No. 8 on the list, receiving more NRA money than Michelle Bachman.

Thanks to the wise people of Massachusetts, Brown was fired from his taxpayer-funded job. Still, it is painful to know that we walk among people who supported Brown — and easy access to legal assault weapons.